BO’S COFFEE, a coffee chain brand born in Cebu, is making it big in the Middle East.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, April 6, Cebuano entrepreneur Steve Benitez announced that Bo’s Coffee is opening five new branches in Qatar.
“As Qatar prepares for the 2022 Fifa World Cup, I’m pleased to announce that Bo’s Coffee and its local partner Almajed Group are opening five more stores, in addition to the two current locations,” said Benitez president of Bo’s Coffee.
He said one of the new stores is going to be at the City Center Mall, while the rest will be in major subway stations.
“We are realizing our vision and living our mission as we share our unique Filipino coffee experience by highlighting our Philippine coffee origins globally,” he said.
Benitez’s fellow Cebuano entrepreneurs hailed the success of the homegrown brand in the Middle East.
Commenting on Benitez’s Facebook post, Benedict Que of Golden Prince Hotel and Suites expressed his compliments, adding that “it is Cebu’s pride.”
Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, likewise, extended his congratulations.
It was in 2017 when Bo’s Coffee launched its first overseas store in Qatar. Its first store is in Bin Omran, Doha.
The company said it has secured a deal with Qatari entrepreneurs to operate the country license.
“We are happy to hear that despite minimal marketing, the coffee shop there is doing well,” said Benitez, in past interviews.
He said the move to bring his specialty coffee brand abroad is part of the company’s long-term expansion plan while they continue to strengthen the coffee brand in its home court.
Bo’s Coffee, which started in Cebu in 1996, patronizes homegrown coffee beans sourced from the rich coffee-growing regions in the Philippines.
Benitez said he plans to open 200 stores by 2020.
Benitez identified Luzon as the focus area for expansion, driven by high population and high spending power.
He said consumption in the country has risen, as more Filipinos embrace the culture of coffee drinking outside their homes.
Benitez attributed the growth of his coffee chain to the brand’s strong position of being a “homegrown brew.”
It sources its coffee beans from highland farmers in Sagada and Benguet in the Mt. Province, Mt. Kitanglad in Bukidnon, Mt. Apo in Davao, and Mt. Matutum in Tupi, South Cotabato.
According to Benitez, the Philippines has yet to satisfy the local market demand—the reason they are still importing some of their coffee bean requirements.
Demand for coffee in the country stands at 100 metric tons (MT) per year. However, the coffee farming community can only supply 30 MT per year.
Data from the Department of Agriculture showed that the Philippines imports 75,000 MT to 100,000 MT of dried coffee beans from Vietnam and Indonesia annually at a cost of P7 billion to 10 billion.
Under the Philippine Coffee Roadmap, the country is expected to raise coffee production to 214,626 MT by 2022. (KOC)